Can I mulch with oak leaves

[Dilly Girl]

Can I safely mulch with oak leaves, these are the tiny live oak not the big pretty oak leaves?

I have an area where they are a foot deep and under are dark and clumpy. Can I put that on trees and tomato plants safely?

Dilly

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I don't know what live oak is, so I don't have an answer.

I just wanted to say that I didn't mean to upset you in the other post, I just meant to clarify who's question I was responding to at the time, since my response followed yours sequentially. Sorry if it came off wrong. :/

 

[Dilly Girl]

Not a problem.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Good.

I hope someone comes along and answers your question soon.

 

[patandchickens]

I know what live oak is but I have no experience with it other than driving around on vacations in the South and going "whoa, cool, wish we could grow that back home"

A quick google suggests that the leaves are generally believed to be comparable to any other oak leaves in tannic acid content, meaning they would make a better mulch for acid-loving things like rhododendrons etc than for (say) cabbage. But you probably already found that yourself and I really have nothing to add, just chiming in so that you know people are reading your thread

There *are* people from the live-oak part of the world on this list, you may just have to wait til they show up. I think beefy is from FL or the Gulf Coast, maybe he would know?

Sorry,

Pat

 

[Dilly Girl]

I went and searched found my answer. Since we have acres of trees and leaves, they say the best place for the leaves is on the ground around the trees to protect them from weeds and other things not good for the oaks.

I spent a few hours raking this half acre area in gorgeous oaks and VERY Large Boulder rocks scattered in. I will toss some wild flower seed and hopefully even liven this area up more. It is such a scenic area.

Back to mulching leaves, I found while raking the most forgeous mulch living under all those leaves. And I have acres of this stuff. On with the gardening and raised boxes. I am jazzed.

 

[S0rcy]

Live oak leaves while breaking down slowly, do make an excellent mulch and should not harm your tomato plants at all.

 

[Grow 4 Food]

The oak leafs are not a problem at all.

Beefy is from GA.

 

[Dilly Girl]

Thank you

 

[Tutter]

I have never needed to move the leaves from our live oaks (We have quite a few oak varieties.), but they manage to get around anyway, and have never harmed anything. I have some brassicas growing around a couple right now, and they are thriving. I imagine they have even benefitted the acid loving plants.